This invention relates to the art of cable locks and, more particularly, to improvements by which such locks are more versatile and easy to use.
Cable locks are of course well known and, generally, include a housing to which one end of a flexible cable is anchored and which housing includes a passageway therethrough for receiving the free end of the cable which is releasably clamped in the passageway to provide a loop with the housing. Such cable clamps serve a variety of purposes such as, for example, bundling a number of items together, interconnecting the wheel of a motorcycle or bicycle with a portion of the frame thereof, or with a bicycle rack, so as to preclude theft of the motorcycle or bicycle. The free end of the cable can be pulled through the housing passageway to the extent necessary to reduce the size of the loop to obtain a desired constrictive relationship with respect to the items engaged therein, and a key-operated mechanism is operable to lock the free end of the cable in place and to release the cable to facilitate removal of the device from the items therein. Cable locks of the foregoing character are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,190,661 to Hauer, 5,791,170 to Officer, British patent 1,524,541 and Australian patent 587,718, the disclosures of which patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference for purposes of background information. Of advantage in connection with the cable locks shown in the foregoing patents is the fact that the cable can be advanced through the passageway during assembly of the lock and released without the cable being withdrawn from the passageway in that a toothed finger pivotally mounted in the passageway allows movement of the cable in the direction to close or reduce the size of the cable loop while precluding displacement of the cable in the direction of retraction other than through the use of a key operated release mechanism. Thus, if a user needs to change hands or his or her position in connection with use of the cable lock, the cable can be initially introduced into the passageway through the housing and such changing of hands or shifting of position can take place without the cable lock coming open.
The cable locks disclosed in the foregoing patents, and other cable locks heretofore available of the character to which the present invention pertains, have a number of disadvantages which limit the versatility thereof as well as the ease with which the locks can be manipulated during use in connection with introducing the free end of the cable through the housing passageway therefor. More particularly in this respect, the free end of the cable in those locks having restraint against withdrawal during assembly of the cable locks can be introduced into the passageway in the housing in one direction only, and this limitation requires a user to take the time to be sure that the free end of the cable is introduced into the appropriate end of the cable passageway. Otherwise, the cable either won""t enter the passageway, or enters the passageway without any restraint against retraction therefrom. In this respect, it would be possible in the device disclosed in the patent to Officer and in the first. embodiment of the British patent to introduce the free end of the cable into the passageway with the device in the unlocked condition but, in each instance, there is no restraint against retraction of the cable from the passageway should the user let go of the cable. Moreover, if the free end of the cable is introduced into the wrong end of the passageway in the device disclosed in the patent to Officer, with the clamping device unlocked, manipulation of the clamping device in the housing would render the device inoperable in that the one-way clutch or finger would allow the cable to be withdrawn from the passageway but would not allow the cable to be displaced in the direction necessary to reduce the size of the loop in connection with mounting the cable lock about items to be retained therein. In the first embodiment of the device disclosed in the British patent, the clamping arrangement in the housing either engages the cable against displacement in either direction or releases the cable for free displacement in either direction, and there is no holding finger in connection with this embodiment which provides for the one-way only displacement of the free end during assembly of the cable lock about items to be enclosed in the look thereof.
Furthermore, while it is advantageous as pointed out hereinabove to engage the free end of the cable against retraction from the passageway during assembly of the cable lock, the ability to continuiously displace the free end of the cable in the direction to reduce the size of the loop can be a disadvantage in those situations where the user does not want the loop the be overly constricted about the items therein. While the user can initially set the size of the loop in this respect, the loop can be unintentionally or intentionally further reduced in size by a third party not knowing of the user""s intentions. While this can be avoided in the devices disclosed in the patent to Officer and in the first embodiment of the British patent, the free end of the cable can only be introduced in one direction through the passageway in Officer, and there is no restraint against retraction of the free end of the cable from the passageway in the British patent. A further disadvantage attendant to cable locks heretofore available resides in the fact that the fixed end of the cable is generally rigidly fastened to the housing or has limited displacement relative thereto and is oriented relative to the passageway, dimensionally and/or directionally, so as to preclude optimizing the orientation of the anchored end and the free end relative to the housing for obtaining a loop of given size with a minimal length of cable between the anchored end and the entrance to the cable passageway through the housing.
In accordance with the present invention, a cable lock is provided which advantageously minimizes or overcomes the foregoing disadvantages of such locks heretofore available. More particularly in this respect, a cable lock in accordance with the present invention provides for the free end of the cable to be selectively introduced into either of the opposite ends of the cable passageway through the housing and to be restrained against separation from the housing during the assembly of the lock about an object or objects to be captured in the loop thereof. Accordingly, a user merely needs to grasp the free end of the cable and introduce it into either end of the passageway without having to make sure that the end chosen is appropriate. Accordingly, assembly is easier and potentially less time consuming while retaining the advantage of precluding separation of the leading end from the housing during the assembly operation. Further in accordance with the invention, the anchored end of the cable is pivotally mounted on the housing for displacement to positions relative to opposite sides of the housing in which the anchored end is parallel to the cable passageway through the housing, whereby a minimum length of cable is used in connection with mounting the lock about an article or articles to be captured in the loop. Preferably, the free end of the cable extending through the passageway is adapted to be selectively clamped against displacement in either direction following assembly, whereby a loop of predetermined size can be maintained throughout a given period of use of the lock. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a key operated cam member is operable to displace a cable clamping member in the housing selectively between a plurality of positions which provide for restraining the retraction the free end from the chosen entrance end of the passageway, locking the cable against displacement in either direction in the passageway, and releasing the cable for free displacement in either direction in the passageway. Accordingly, the cable lock is extremely versatile with respect to options of assembly available to a user, is extremely easy to manipulate with respect to the available options and, accordingly, minimizes the time and effort on the part of the user to assembly the lock with respect to articles to be enclosed in the loop. Further, a cable lock according to the invention optimizes use of the cable between the anchored end and the portion thereof extending through the cable passageway so as to minimize the length of cable necessary to obtain a loop of desired size.
It is accordingly an outstanding object of the present invention to provide a cable lock which is more versatile and easier to use than cable locks heretofore available.
Another object is the provision of a cable lock of the foregoing character in which the free end of the cable can be selectively introduced into either of the opposite ends of a cable passageway through the housing of the lock and engaged against retraction from the selected end during an assembly operation.
Yet another object is the provision of a cable lock of the foregoing character in which the free end of the cable in the passageway can be clamped against displacement in either of the opposite directions in the passageway and can be released for free displacement in both directions.
A further object is the provision of a cable lock of the foregoing character in which the anchored end of the cable is displaceable relative to the housing so as to optimize the use of cable between the anchored end and the free end in connection with forming a loop during assembly of the lock about objects to be captured in the loop.
Still a further object is the provision of a cable lock of the foregoing character in which a key operated cam and cable clamping member are interrelated for selective operation to provide one direction only displacement of the free end of the cable following the selective introduction of the free end into either one of the opposite ends of the cable passageway, to enable clamping of the cable in the passageway against displacement in either of the opposite directions therealong, and to release the cable for free displacement in either of the opposite directions.